Method of culverting embankments



March 16, 1937. w. B. TEMPLETON ET AL I 2,074,003

METHOD OF CULVERTING EMBANKMENTS Filed Jan. 21, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet l March 16, 1937. B. TEMPLETON ET AL 2,074,003

METHOD OF CULVERTING EMBANKMENTS Filed Jan. 21, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Mar. 16, 1937 PATENT OFFICE METHOD OF CULVERTING EMBANKMENTS Walter B. Templeton, Hinsdale, and Frank J.

J akoubek, Elmwood Park, Ill., assignors to Templeton, Kenly & Co. Limited, Chicago, 111., a corporation of Illinois Application January 21, 1935, Serial No. 2,628

6 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in methods of and apparatus for culverting embankments and it consists of the matters hereinafter described and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

The invention contemplates the laying of culverts of the larger sizes as for example those of about 16 diameters to .those having such diametersas will permit one or more men to work from within the culvert in digging aclearance excavation in the embankment, in advance of the first culvert section being laid.

Heretofore in the layingof such large culverts through embankments and under roadways and the like, either of two methods were employed,

both of which have proven unsatisfactory.

One method required trenching across the embankment or roadway, to receive the culvert'sections after which the trench was filled. How- 0 ever, highway engineers are prejudiced against trenching because no matter how carefully it is attempted to replace the removed material, a bad spot remains. Again, the matter of cost in using this method further makes it impractical.

Another method which avoids trenching, contemplates pushing the culvert sections through the embankment, with heavy jacks, as the workmen within the culvert, excavate in advance of the culvert section and remove the spoilfrom the rear end. This method requires the construction of expensive and heavy backstopping or dead men for the jack to buck against because such backstopping or dead men must be capable of resistinga pressure greater than that necessary to push the culvert. In unstable earth, this method has proven unsatisfactory even though cost is disregarded.

Another objection to this method is that it requires the removal and replacement of the jack to make room for positioning the various culvert sections and when a certain number of sections are in place, the combined resistance thereof is greater than the capacity of the jack so that often culvert sections stick and this requires the expenditure of much man power to complete the job at hand,

One of the objects of the present invention is .to provide an" improved method of culverting, which requires only simple backstopping or dead men'structure, as the function thereof is taken up by the embankment itself.

A further object of the invention is to pro- .vide a method of this kind which permits placing the power device such as a jack, upon that side poof the embankment opposite the side into which the culvert sections are entered, thus leaving'the 4 excavation on the last mentioned side, ready and open for the positioning of the successive culvert sections to be laid.

Still another object of the invention, is to provide a method of this kind wherein a small opening is formed transverselythrough the embankment substantially coincident with the axis of the culvert to be laid and through which opening a cable ,or chain is 'moused for connection at one end to a culvert section on one side of the embankment and for connection at the other end to a power device on the other side of the embankment and against which it is backstopped whereby each culvert section is pulled in lieu of being pushed through the embankment.

The above mentioned objects of the invention as well as others, together with the several advantages thereof, will more fully appear as we proceed with our specification.

In the drawings- Fig. 1 is a transverse vertical sectional view through a conventional form of' embankment to be culverted in accordance with our improved method. I v

Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1 showing one of the steps of the improved method and which step is the forming of a transverse opening'of relatively small diameter through the embankment.

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the parts shown in Fig.2.

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 2, showing another step of the improved method and wherein the first section of a culvert of such diameter as will permit a man to work within the same, is shown as ready to enter an excavation in the embankment.

Fig. 5 in a view similar to Fig. 4 illustrating the first culvert section as moved partway into the excavation in an associated side of the embankment as made by a workman, working within the first culvert section.

Fig. 6 is a detail transverse vertical sectional view through one of the culvert sections and associated embankment parts and illustrates more particularly the shape ofthe excavation made in advance of the culvert sections, the .plane of the section being indicated by the line 6-6 of Fig. 5. Fig. '7 is a view similar to Fig. 5, illustratin the culverting as substantially completed and showing the manner in which the culvert sect ons are moved successively one after the other to avoid the necessity of power required to move the entire number of sections at one time.

Fig. 8 is a view similar to Fig. 7 showing the culvert as completed.

Fig. 9 is a longitudinal sectional view through a pair of one form of culvert sections to be laid in the excavation and also illustrates a certain toggle structure for operatively connecting a pulling chain or cable to said sections.

Fig. 10 is a View in elevation of a head temporarily applied to one end of a culvert section and to which a chain or cable is attached for pulling the culvert sectioninto the embankment excavation.

Fig. 11 is a view similar to Fig. l and i1- lustrates diagrammatically, the manner of forming an opening through the embankment for a culvert of such diameter as will not permit a man to work from within the same.

Fig. 12 is a view illustrating the manner of pulling culvert sections through the opening in the embankment, as made in accordance with Fig. 11.

Referring now in detail to that embodiment of the invention, illustrated in Figs. 1 to 10 inclusive of the accompanying drawings and especially to Fig. 1 thereof I0 indicates, as a whole, a conventional embankment such as a railway or highway embankment to be culverted. Such an embankment includes a substantially horizontal top or crest II and outwardly and downwardly inclined sides I2 and I3 respectively. In said sides of the embankment, there are excavated recesses I4 and I5 respectively which for convenience in future reference, we term the jacking and culvert recesses respectively. It is pointed out that either recess may constitute the jacking recess and. the other the culvert recess, depending upon which side of the embankment it is desired to start operations.

Each recess which extends a suitable distance longitudinally of the embankment sides and extends thereinto a depth which will provide a vertical face I6 and I1 respectively of a height greater than the diameter of the culvert to be laid. Extending outwardly from each recess is a pair .of spaced timbers I8 and I9 respectively, one pair being adapted for supporting a power device such as a jack and the other pair being adapted for positioning and guiding the culvert sections to be laid.

After the site and inclination, if any, of the culvert to be laid, has been determined, the next step is to form a relatively small opening through the embankment between the faces I6 and I1 respectively, in the plane of the axis of the culvert. This opening may be formed by pushing a pipe through the embankment from one face I6 to the other I! and then withdrawing the pipe. To push a pipe through said embankment, we mount on the timbers I8 in the jacking recess, a pipe pushing jack 20. This jack may comprise a base 2|, a carriage 22 including a pipe gripper jaw 23, and one or more actuating levers 24 and reversible pawls whereby the carriage may be moved step-by-step in either direction toward or away from the recess face I6.

The base is adapted to rest upon the supporting timbers I8 and is backstopped in any suitable manner. As shown herein, to backstop the jack, we provide a pair of earth anchors 25 in the embankment side I2 and connect them up with the outer ends of the base 2| by means of cables 26 or the like. This anchor arrangement is best shown in Fig. 3. Thus the base is held against retrograde movement in operation. A piece of pipe 21 of suitable length is passed through the gripping block 23 and its advancing end is provided with a lead or pilot 28.

When the levers 24 are swung back and forth, the carriage 22 is moved forwardly step-by-step toward the recess face and this pushes the pipe 2! through the embankment. It is preferable that the jack include means whereby the pipe may be turned on its axis and this may be provided for by making the gripper block turn with respect to the carriage.

When the carriage has travelled to its innermost limit on the base, the gripper block is actuated to release the pipe and the carriage is then moved to its outward limit on the base. Thereafter the block is caused to grip the pipe again. When the levers 24 are again actuated, the carriage is again caused to move inwardly toward the recess face to push the pipe further into the embankment. These operations are repeated until the lead or pilot 28 opens through the face I! of the culvert recess I5. It is pointed out that the use of anchors for backstopping the jack in pushing the pipe has advantages over the use of dead men, not only in the matter of cost but also because it makes it more convenient for the men to work about the jack.

The connectors 26 may now be detached from the anchors and the anchors may then be abandoned in the embankment or they may be dug out for future use, which ever procedure is deemed the least costly, by reason of the character of the embankment.

One or more back stop timbers 29 (see Fig. 4) is positioned longitudinally of the jacking recess I4 upon the inner ends of the timbers I8 so as to buck up against the bottom end of the face I6. It is desired that this timber or timbers be of a length approximating that of the associated recess so as to spread the pressure of future backstopping over as large an area as possible.

The ratchet pawls on the jack 20 are then reversed and the block 23 is again actuated to grip the pipe. The levers 24 are thereafter actuated to step-by-step withdraw the pipe to leave an opening 30 in the embankment as best shown in Fig. 4. In practice, the opening 30 will have a diameter approximating from about four to six inches. Due to the turning movement of the pipe along with the pushing pressure, said opening will be relatively smooth and will sustain itself against collapse.

An inextensible, though preferably a flexible member 3| such as a chain or cable is then moused through the opening, and this member will have a length in excess of that of said opening.

One end of the inextensible member or members is then operatively secured to the carriage of the power device or jack.

By any suitable means, a section 32 of the culvert is placed in position on the skid or guide timbers I9. These sections are of a relatively large diameter, as to permit one or two men to work Within the same. For ease in illustration, each section as best shown in Fig. 9 has a tongue and shoulder arrangement 33 and 34, respectively, whereby the end of one section will receive the associated end of the next adjacent section in a relatively tight smooth joint. Such culvert section may be of metal, concrete or wood. Corrugated iron may also be used.

In Fig. 10, we have illustrated a pressure distributing head 35 comprising the laterally spaced uprights 36 and the vertically spaced cross timhere 31. This leaves a central opening 38 in the head through which men may enter the culvert section and through which embankment material or spoil may be removed or discharged from insidethe culvert'section. This head which is cut in outline to fit substantially snug in the outer end shoulder 34 of a culvert section, is provided on its inner face with a plurality of hooks or eyes 39 indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 10. At this time, the culvert section is spaced from the face of the recess |5 as shown in Fig. 4. The head 35 is adapted to be fitted into the outer end of a culvert section l5. When so fitted in said head, chains 40 are secured to the eyes 39 and. to the member 3| respectively.

Should it be desired, before the culvert section is moved into the culvert recess I5, a culvert receiving excavation 4| (see Fig. 4) may be dug into the face ll of the recess Hi. The excavation may be as deep as convenient for the workmen to make and should be of a diameter slightly greater than that of the culvert section so as to leave a clearance at the top and about the sides of the culvert section, the bottom of the recess being substantially flush with the top surface of the skids or guide beams IS.

The pressure head 35 may now be positioned in the outer end of the culvert section and the chains 4?] connected to the chain or cable 3|. The jack 20 may now be actuated so as to move the carriage 22 outwardly on its base. The

initial part of the movement of the carriage will first tauten the members 3|4l] and the final part of the movement will cause the culvert section 32 to be moved inwardly of the recess and into the culvert receiving excavation 4|. If the travel of the carriage on the base is not of such length as to move or pull the culvert section intothe recess, the cable 3| is detached from the gripping block 23 and the carriage is moved inward on its base, after which the cable is again attached to the block so that a new bite is taken on the cable. Of course, during this movement of the carriage to move or pull the culvert section into the excavation 4|, pressure greater than that required to so move the culvert section is interposed as a backstop pressure on the timber 29 but as this timber is quite long, this pressure is distributed over a considerable area of the face I6 of the recess so that the timber will not act to materially cut into the embankment.

The culvert section 32 is now in place with its inner end in engagement against the vertical face of the culvert excavation. From within the front end of the culvert section, a workman, by means of a short hand shovel, lengthens out the excavation 4| as indicated in dotted lines at Ma in Fig. 5, the excavated material or spoil being discharged through the outer end of the culvert section. Ordinarily a helper takes the excavated material and loads it on a float (not shown) which is moved to the outer end of said section and then dumped through the opening 38 in the head 35 for disposal by other men of the working crew.

. After the excavation part 4| has been completed, the culvert section 32 is moved as before described, to bring its front end up against the vertical face of the said excavation part.

By alternately lengthening the culvert receiving:

excavation and moving the culvert section thereinto, eventually the first section is moved well into the embankment. It is pointed out at this time that in lengthening the excavation 4|4|a, the workman digs from around the opening 33 which gives him a starting point and which also may be used as a gauge for excavating operations so that said excavations may be made upstream or downstream as desired.

4 Another culvert section 32a is now positioned in place on the timbers l9 when the member 3| isreleased from the gripper block of the jack and the chains 40 are detached from the head '35 which may now be removed'from the outer end of the first culvert section. The head 35 may now be applied to the inner or outer end of the second section 32a, the chains 40 and member 3| being drawn outwardly after which the chains 40 are again attached to the head. After further lengthening out the excavation 4|, the jack 20 is operated to move the second section into a position wherein its flange 33 engages the shoulder 34 of the first section. Further jacking operation will cause one or both sectionsto move as a unit until the inner end of the first section engages against'the inner end of the culvert-receiving excavation. Thereafter the excavation 4|-4|a is again lengthened and the two sections are further moved as a unit into the said excavation. When the second culvert section is well within the embankment, a

third culvert section is moved into position on the timbers Hi, the head 35 is applied to the outer end thereof and. the jack then moves the same into operative engagement with the outer end of the second section and all of the sections are moved separately or simultaneously as a string into the embankment.

It is apparent that each time a section is added to the string, the resistance to movement of the string is increased. In some embankments, due to the width and material thereof, it is possible to move the string as an entirety. In other embankments, due to the width and material thereof, the string ofiers a resistance 'to movement which is greater than the capacity of the jack. Under such conditions the string isbroken up into sections; that is, while 1 they are all moved into the excavation 4|, they are moved oneor two at a time so as to leave a relatively short space between the sections.

The chains 40 and head 35 are then removed and instead of the head we employ a peculiar toggle arrangement 42 best shown in Fig. 9.

This toggle arrangement includes a pair of arms 43-43 pivoted together at one end as at 44. The other ends of said arms are formed for engagement with the shoulders 34 at the outer end of a culvert section. Near said other end of said arms are pivoted the outer ends of 'a pair of links 45, the inner ends being pivoted together in a block 46 which includes ahook 41 and to which the member 3| may be detachably ated and will exert a pull on the member 3|, which through the links 45 will cause the arms to tightly engage the culvert section shoulder 34 so that further pull on the member 3| causes the first culvert section to be moved further into the excavation 4|.

Instead of pulling the sections from the rear end in this operation, they may be pulled from the front end by using in connection with the cable any suitable means for gripping said end of the section. This will avoid to some extent, the tendency for the front end of the section to plow into the bottom surface of its excavation.

When one section is moved into position, the

' next one is operated upon in the same manner until all of the sections making up the string are moved individually or in units, step-by-step, until the first section engages the back stop timber- 29. This timber and the jack, along with the jack supporting timbers l8 are then removed. A short culvert section 32a: is now positioned in the jacking recess [4 and operatively engaged with the associated end of the first section 32. This section 32:1: should be of a length approximating the greatest horizontal dimension of the recess I4 as provided by its bottom. Thereafter the recess I4 is filled in as at Ma: in Fig. 8 and this finishes out the contour of the associated side l2 of the embankment.

Another short culvert section 32y is applied to the other end of the last culvert section 320 positioned as described and this short section 32y should be of such alength as to bring its free or outer end into the desired position after which the recess is filled in as at 15a: to complete the contour of the side l3 of the embankment. While there may be a space left between the sides and top of the culvert excavation 4l-4Ia the culvert sections 3232a- 32b-32c, in the completed culvert, this space is relatively small and will fill up by settling of the embankment material without causing any sinking or depression of the embankment crest above the culvert.

In Figs. 11 and 12 is illustrated a modified form of the invention, wherein culvert sections of a diameter too small for a man to Work within the same, as above described, are being positioned in the embankment. Under such conditions, an opening of a diameter to receive the culvert sections is made through the embankment. As before described, a pipe is pushed through the embankment and then withdrawn to form the opening 30 therethrough and which opening is shown in full lines in said Fig. 11. This hole provides a start for reaming out the same a number of times, each time the diameter being increased until the desired diameter is obtained. One convenient manner of carrying out the reaming operations is to employ in connection with the cable 3|, a scoop which when moved in one direction opens up to a larger diameter and which when moved in the other direction, closes or folds up to a smaller diameter. In said Fig. 11, the dotted lines 30a indicate the enlargement by the first reaming out, the dash lines 30b indicate the enlargement by the second reaming out and the dot and dash lines 300 indicate the enlargement by the third reaming out. If the opening 30 has a four to six inch diameter, the first reaming out may bring the hole to an 8" diameter, the second reaming out may bring the hole to a 12" diameter and the third reaming out may bring the hole to such a diameter as will take for example a 16" diameter culvert section.

In Fig. 12, the culvert section guiding and supporting members |9a are timbered up so that culvert sections 32d may be placed therein in position to line up with the hole 300. With the device Zfla on one side of the embankment as before described, the chain or cable 3la is moused through said opening and a pressure head 35a applied to the outer end of the culvert section 32d and the chain or cable 3|a attached thereto.

The device a is then operated to exert a pull on said chain or cable to pull the culvert section 32d part way through the opening. Thereafter other sections are operated upon in the same manner. If desired, each section may be pulled individually into final position. Should the character of the embankment soil permit and should the device 20a be powerful enough, a number of said sections may be pulled through the hole simultaneously.

The reaming out of the hole to successively enlarge its diameter to provide the hole 300 of desired diameter may be carried out in any suitable manner, the particular tool or device employed for this purpose forming no part of the present invention.

By means of the method described, culverting may be readily carried out at but a small cost and this without stopping trafiic on the embankment and without damage thereto due to settling. Again, the method may be carried out by apparatus, parts of which may be purchased in open market and other parts of which may be readily made upon the job. Furthermore, because the backstopping pressure is taken up by the embankment itself, no heavy expensive deadmen are required and a greater free area is possible in which the men of the crew may work.

While in describing the invention, We have referred in detail to the form, arrangement and construction of the parts used, as well as to the sequence in the steps of method, the same is to be considered only in the illustrative sense so that we do not Wish to be limited thereto except as may be specifically set forth in the appended claims.

We claim as our invention- 1. In a method of culverting an embankment, the steps consisting of forming a relatively small opening through the embankment, inserting at least one inextensible member therethrough, providing a power device at one side of the embankment and attaching one end of said inextensible member thereto, initially excavating the embankment from the other side and in line with said opening to a diameter to receive the culvert section to be operated upon, positioning a culvert section in operative relation with respect to said excavation, operatively connecting the other end of said member to one end of said culvert section, and then operating said device to exert a pulling force upon said member and upon the said culvert section until the culvert section enters the desired distance into said excavation.

2. In a method of culverting an embankment, the steps consisting of forming a relatively small opening through the embankment, inserting at least one inextensible member therethrough, providing a power device at one side of the embankment and attaching one end of said inextensible member thereto, initially excavating the other side of the embankment in line with said opening to a diameter to receive the culvert section to be operated upon, positioning a culvert section in operative relation with respect to said excavation, operatively connecting the other end of said member to one end of said culvert section, operating said device to exert a pulling force upon said member and upon said culvert section, excavating the embankment from within and in advance of the inner end of the culvert section to a diameter to receive said culvert section, and again operating said power device to move said culvert section further into said excavation.

3. In a method of culverting an embankment, the steps consisting of forming a relatively small opening through the embankment, inserting at least one inextensible member therethrough, providing a power device at one side of the embankment and attaching one end of said inextensible member thereto, initially excavating the other side of the embankment in line with said open- 1 ing to a diameter to receive the culvert section to be operated upon, positioning a culvert section in operative relation with respect to said excavation, operatively connecting the other end of said member to one end of said culvert section, operating said device to exert a pulling force upon said member and upon said culvert section, excavating the embankment from within and in advance of the inner end of the culvert section to a diameter to receive said culvert section, positioning a second culvert section adjacent the outer end of the first mentioned section, op- ,eratively connecting the said member to said second culvert section and again operating said power device to cause said two culvert sections to move further into said excavation.

4. The method of culverting an embankment, which consists in forming an opening through the embankment, inserting an inextensible member through said embankment, attaching one end portion of said member to a culvert section positioned on one side of the embankment, providing a power device on the other side of the. embankment so as to be backstopped thereby, connecting the other end of said inextensible member thereto and operating said device to pull the culvert section into said embankment.

5. The method of culverting an embankment, which consists in forming opposed recesses in opposite sides of the embankment and which recesses have vertical faces extending longitudinally of the embankment, forming a hole in said embankment which opens through the vertical faces of both recesses, providing a backstop element against the face of one recess, engaging a power device against said element, inserting an inextensible member through said hole and connecting one end thereto to said power device, positioning a culvert section with one end against the vertical face of the recess in the other side of the embankment, connecting the other end of said inextensible member to the other end of said culvert section, excavating the embankment from within and in advance of the first mentioned end of the culvert section and operating said power element to pull said first section into said excavation.

6. The method of culverting an embankment which consists in forming an opening through the embankment, inserting an inextensible member therethrough, backstopping a power device against one side of the embankment, connecting one end of said member to said device, positioning a culvert section endwise against the opposite side of the embankment, excavating the embankment from within and in advance of the inner end of said culvert section, operating the power device to pull said section into said excavation, alternately excavating the embankment from within and moving the section into said excavation, positioning a second culvert section in line with the first section, pulling said second section into said excavation, and alternately moving one section and the other step-by step into said excavation.

WALTER B. TEMPLETON. FRANK J. JAKOUBEK. 

